Gemmy - Unruly

  • Proto-dubstep with plenty of bass weight.
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  • A young Gemmy, AKA Gemmel Phillips, broke new ground as part of a fresh wave of Bristol-based dubstep producers in the early '00s. He was looped into the so-called "purple trinity" with Joker and Guido, following in the footsteps of the likes of Peverelist, Pinch and Appleblim. But as his contemporaries have developed their sound outside of dubstep, Gemmy's heavy wobble and epic sub-bass remain firmly in place. Unruly offers more of the same sound, if slightly subdued. The beats follow a more regular tempo, the usually breathless drum & bass syncopations stretched and slowed to a lumbering crawl. Of the three tracks, "Sonicboom" stands out. The driving brass band sample is reminiscent of TNGHT's 2012 hit "Higher Ground," except it's less pop conscious and half as dramatic. The breakbeat of "Stop Dat" follows a dark electro tone and is peppered with vocal cut-ups and found sounds. "Na Tek Bak Chat" combines dub echo, air horns and samples of the NBA Jam video game. A comparison to the trap and bass project of Lunice and Hudson Mohawke goes some way in characterising Gemmy's very minor shift in direction.
  • Tracklist
      01. Na Tek Bak Chat 02. Sonicboom 03. Stop Dat
RA